Shauwn Mkhize book tells all, in her own voice

Reality TV star and businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize has shared light about how political riots affected her and family in a newly released 104-page book about her rise to fame.

Mkhize lost her father and cousin during the riots in the late 1980s. Her father was found dead in a stream in Umlazi with a bullet hole in his head. This and other details are part of her book, Mamkhize — My World My Rules. The story is narrated by Mkhize to writer Amanda Ngudle.

The book covers all aspects of her life, her brother’s death, parents, her education, living abroad and how their house in Mbumbulu hosted political meetings with people like Bheki Cele, Jeff Radebe and Zweli Mkhize frequenting it during the apartheid era. For the first time she speaks about her divorce from ex-husband Sbu Mpisane.

The book, which will be released later this month, opens with separate letters to both her parents, praising them for the love they gave her and her sibling . Mkhize said she has learned from the experience, made peace and moved on.

“I don’t think one fully heals, you just learn to accept and live with the trauma. So many families lost their loved ones during the apartheid era. I’ve had to make peace so that I can move forward and focus on making a success of my life.”

What rocked the Mkhizes' world was the killing of their father, four days after he had handed himself over to the Mbumbulu police station in June 1991. He had been sought by police for questioning on his political activism.

She said in the book: “Having survived numerous attempts on our lives, one day events went from lull and straight to fast lane. We came back from school one day to find military vessel and police vehicles at our house, which at the time resembled a military camp. My sister, who was 17, was taken by police and interrogated and tortured ... trying to get information of where my dad was. But she never revealed our father’s whereabouts. She returned and my dad decided to hand himself over to the police.”

“We discovered that our dad was moved to another place by the infamous trigger-happy constable, Siphiwe Mvuyane. What followed was his lawyer telling us that he was dead.”

After their house in Mbumbulu was burnt down, the family moved around until they settled in Chatsworth.

Mkhize explained that she decided to publish her book because the media has been portraying a  false narrative about her.

“It’s always been important for me to tell my story, my way and this was another opportunity for me to open up about my life, on my terms and in my voice.